UFC on FOX 4 results: Joe Lauzon submits Jamie Varner in third in classic war

LOS ANGELES – In a strong bid for a “Submission of the Night” bonus, Joe Lauzon earned his 18th career victory by tapout in a fight with short-notice replacement opponent Jamie Varner.

But the fight was so compelling, the two also made an argument for “Fight of the Night,” as well.

The lightweight fight was part of the main card of Saturday’s UFC on FOX 4 event at Staples Center in Los Angeles. It aired on FOX following prelims on FUEL TV.

Varner led the action with a left hook to the body as Lauzon bided his time. Varner dug a few more stiff hooks to the body, but it was a hard right hand that rattled Lauzon, who surprisingly made little effort to get the fight to the mat. Instead he scored with an uppercut and a knee, and Varner backed off.

With half the first round remaining, Lauzon picked up the pace with combinations, scoring with a big hook to the body. The shot appeared to sap Varner, whose arm-heavy punches began to slow. Still, it didn’t stop the former champion from landing a right hand to the temple that dropped Lauzon, and the two spent the remainder of the frame in a tactical ground engagement.

Lauzon appeared no worse for the wear when the two met in the second, though Varner may have stung his leg with a few well-placed kicks. Varner had success with punching combinations, but an attempt to take the fight to the mat almost backfired spectacularly when Lauzon reversed and took the back.

Varner, however, escaped and continue to batter a covered-up Lauzon, who took several shots to the body and charged back with a flurry of punches that saw both men take big shots. Lauzon, however, seemed to have more in the gas tank and took the fight to the mat. Varner popped up, but Lauzon stayed glued to him and again took the fight down, where he took the back and then threatened with an armbar before Varner escaped at the bell.

Leading into the third, both had already expended a tremendous amount of energy. But it was Varner who appeared more tired, so tired, in fact, that he didn’t realize his mouthpiece wasn’t in. After getting the piece of plastic, Lauzon shot for a takedown and was stuffed. Varner didn’t have the same problem in response, and took half-guard. Lauzon gamely swept, and the two traded shots once again.

Varner looked for big shots and threw short elbows before diving for a single leg. Lauzon swept from the mat and again threatened to take the back. When Varner defended, he transitioned to a triangle choke. For a moment, it looked as though Varner might escape. But a quick adjustment brought a tapout for Lauzon at the 2:44 mark of the third.

“I’m happy all around with my performance,” Lauzon said. “Jamie had great boxing and wrestling and came out tough early on. There’s a lot of mutual respect between us and I think that showed out there. I got caught a couple of times, but I was never in any real danger in those transitions. He did an awesome job defending from his back and utilizing proper hand control to keep out of the rear-naked choke. The triangle wasn’t very deep at first, but I knew he’d try and struggle out of it and I’d be able to capitalize and put him in a worse position.”

“The fight was going well for me and I expected him to come out hard like that,” Varner said. “I wobbled him with a right in the first and thought I was going to be able to finish, but couldn’t. I threw an overhand in the middle of the second and felt my hand break. Unfortunately, I’ve broken them enough to know immediately when that happens. After that, I transitioned and tried to use my kicks and elbows, but that was really the missing weapon that I needed. I got locked up in that triangle and it was tight enough to know that I wasn’t getting out. It was either continue absorbing elbows and go out or tap.”

Lauzon (22-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC), who has won four performance bonuses for submissions and the same amount for “Fight of the Night,” is back in the winner’s circle after suffering a first-round knockout at the hands of Anthony Pettis at UFC 144. Varner (20-7-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC), who replaced an injured Terry Etim, goes back to the drawing board after a short-notice upset win over red-hot prospect Edson Barboza.

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.